Bye Bye George [fourth daily dose of Freshman Year]

The last time I saw George was the last day of the school year. (He was one of the ones who flunked out and wasn’t coming back.) All year long the ten of us Herman Housers (not including the RA) had a contest to see who was best at getting a date. Each time we asked a girl out we had to tell the others and we kept this big scoreboard on the wall. (Remember they were tearing the house down at the end of the year so some magic marker on the wall didn’t seem like a big deal.) Whoever had the best percentage at the end of the year won a case of beer. Well, one of the sophomores, who actually did spend plenty of time studying rather than dating, plotted all year for this case of beer. On the second to last day of the school year, he made his one and only call; she said yes (it was planned); and batting a thousand he won the case of beer which we all drank together (including her) the last day of the year.

Keeping Score

Well, one thing led to another, and pretty soon we were saying, “You know, they’re tearing this place down next week, let’s help them get started,” and we were knocking down walls and heaving stuff out the front window, when we spied the President of the University coming for a walk to see how the New Dorms were progressing. “Oh Christ,” we all said and ran to hide as the President made a beeline for our front door. I found a good place to hide in a closet on the second floor, but George jumped in with me just as the President hit the top of the stairs and saw the closet door close.

What a classy move that President made. He didn’t care to know who we were, didn’t open the door, just knocked on it, and said “I know you’re in there. I’m going to finish my walk. When I come back that front yard better be cleaned-up.” I’ll be forever grateful he didn’t open the door and see me crouched in a corner looking like a five year-old. If he were still alive, this would be the first he knew that was me.